Angel Wings and Baby Things
by KismetWinchester
Summary: Established Destiel. The Winchesters are happy for the first time in, well, a long time. They keep waiting for the inevitable storm, the thing that will take away everything that makes life just a little easier to handle. When Castiel announces that he and Dean are going to have a child together, they have hope, and wonder if maybe even Winchesters get to have a happy ending.
1. Surprise!

**A/N: This is an idea I had recently from reading a couple of "egg fics". Hope I do okay with this. Normally I do mpreg and wanted to try something different. Also, for the purposes of this story, Cas still has his original trench coat. I don't know about you, but I hate the new one. Reviews and comments are welcome!**

**Romance/Humor/Kid Fic/Egg Fic/Family/Fluff**

Dean and Castiel had been together for a few months now. When the oldest Winchester had walked into the bunker library and shyly announced that he, Dean Winchester, fierce heterosexual and manly man, was now dating Castiel, Angel of the Lord, celestial being in a male vessel, he had expected there to be shock and surprise from his family members. As his eyes slid from Bobby to Sam, Dean braced himself for the inevitable backlash and the murmurs of disgust. In the end, all he received was applause. A _fucking standing ovation_, even. Bobby gruffly sliding a twenty dollar bill into Sam's waiting palm. A clap on the back from his little brother for finally manning up and telling Cas how he felt.

Dean had expected that things would change drastically. That his whole life would be turned upside down. The funny thing was, _nothing_ changed at all. He and Castiel had been on the cusp of 'will they or won't they' for so long now that anything else was redundant. The angel had been his best friend for years, and no matter what mistakes either of them made, they always came back to each other. Bobby had said many times that family didn't end with blood, but that wasn't entirely true. It starts when someone is willing to die for you, and to bleed for you. Castiel had done both.

But then, everything _did _change, and for once, it was for the better.

Sam and Dean had been on a simple ghost hunt while Castiel was helping Bobby translate some lore in the batcave. It had _seemed_ easy enough, since as all they had to do was get rid of a violent spirit who was haunting an amusement park in Washington. That was a typical Friday night for them. The first indication that it was all about to go sideways was when the ghost appeared to them, in all it's red-nosed, rainbow-wigged glory. Yep, a friggin' clown, much to Sam's chagrin. The second indication was when the ghost tossed Dean onto the Ferris Wheel and started it up, breaking off the lever once it reached the top. Then, the clown turned it's attention on Sam, who immediately hightailed it in the other direction like hellhounds were after him – though the youngest Winchester would have probably preferred the latter to a fucking _clown_. It was like some B grade horror movie, complete with creepy carnival music in the background.

So there they were, the infamous Winchester brothers, bad ass hunters who monsters told bedtime stories to their spawn about and _other_ hunters strived to be, cowering in fear like little girls. Dean was stuck at the top of the Ferris Wheel, clutching the bar so tight that his knuckles were white, a terrified look on his face, while Sam had crouched down in a corner with his hands over his head, the clown approaching him slowly with a sinister look on his painted face.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

At some point, Dean realized that he had an ace up his sleeve – his angel boyfriend who could be there in mere seconds. Castiel appeared right in front of the ghost moments later. The clown was so shocked by the angel's sudden appearance that he faltered and tripped on his big red shoes, which would have been funny if Sam wasn't terrified and Dean wasn't picturing his inevitable demise. Castiel smited the ghost, walked over and helped Sam up, then teleported Dean back to the ground. For a few minutes, all the brothers did was cling to the angel like 5 year old's who had just been told Santa Claus wasn't real.

Then, Dean awkwardly cleared his throat and pulled away. "Thanks, Cas," the hunter said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "The uh..." He cleared his throat again, the tips of his ears turning red. "It was high and it felt like... it seemed like the seat was gonna - "

The angel silenced him with a quick kiss to the lips. "I understand, Dean." He glanced towards the youngest Winchester. "Are you alright, Sam?"

Sam nodded, running a hand through his chestnut mane. "Yeah. Thanks, man. I... the clown was... must have given me some kind of hallucinogen... to make me freak out like that."

Castiel's mouth quirked ever so slightly. "It is quite possible, Sam. The clown was using some deviant tricks, indeed." He had known the brothers a long time now, and he understood when they didn't need to be corrected. Human behavior in general was still so strange to him, but he could see why the Winchesters' wouldn't want to admit that they were afraid. Castiel had never seen them afraid of anything, but everyone had their Achilles's heel.

"So, any luck on translating that text?" Sam asked, trying to change the subject.

The three of them began walking towards the Impala, falling in step like they always did now. They had worked together so much that they were like soldiers, in sync to the last second.

"Not yet. I was about to take a break anyway when Dean called me." A flicker of worry flashed across Castiel's face. Those who didn't know the angel's expressions that well might have missed it, but Sam and Dean saw right away that something had happened.

Dean put a hand on Cas' shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "Cas, what's wrong?"

Sam paused as well, studying the angel as if he could determine the cause of his distress just from a glance.

Castiel steadily held Dean's gaze for a moment, before quickly looking away. The hunters both felt alarms go off inside their heads at that. When the angel avoided eye contact, especially with Dean, something big was about to go down.

"Tell me," Dean demanded, as gently as he could. If he forced Castiel to tell them before he was ready, the angel would just flutter away and they wouldn't get any answers.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" the angel asked softly, glancing around at the abandoned theme park. "A diner maybe?"

"Sure, Cas," Dean replied, giving his brother a pointed look and reaching into his jacket for his keys.

"No," Castiel said quickly, "I want Sam to be there, too. He's my family just as much as you are. I've already told Bobby I would retrieve him when I was done here."

Now they were _really _worried, but all they could do was follow the angel into the Impala and drive, hoping that they weren't about to face another Apocalypse in the near future.

An hour later, the 4 men sat in a 50's style diner just outside Seattle. The waitress had came and went, and now there was an uncomfortable silence settling in the air. Bobby kept adjusting his trucker cap, Sam kept tapping his fingers on the table, and the remaining 2 just stared at each other. It wasn't one of their normal adoring stares. Fear was etched across the angel's face, while Dean just looked suspicious. Castiel had stopped keeping secrets long ago, but the fact that he had been keeping one now was making the hunter uneasy.

"Well, Cas?" Dean questioned, breaking the silence. "Tell us what's going on."

Castiel fiddled with the lapels of his trench coat. "I am afraid, Dean."

Dean turned in his seat to look directly at the angel. He placed a rough, calloused hand over his boyfriend's shaky palm. "Afraid of what? You can tell me anything, you know."

"I worry that you won't want this." Blue eyes looked around the table before settling on forest green. "I worry that none of you will want this. And then I'll lose my family." His voice broke on the last word.

"We aren't going to turn our backs on you, boy," Bobby said, pointing at the angel. "We've _all _made mistakes, and whatever _this_ is, _we_ can fix it. So spit it out so that we can, okay?"

"But... this isn't a mistake," Castiel replied. "At least to me. I am _happy_ this has happened. While I didn't foresee that it was possible..." The angel trailed off, his gaze distant.

Dean found himself getting impatient, worry settling at his very core. Different scenarios flashed in his head, each of them more unsettling than the last. Had the angel's brothers and sisters finally welcomed him back to Heaven? Had God come home and demanded that Cas pack up and leave? It wasn't lost on Dean that each of those ended with Castiel leaving him.

Abandonment Issues, enter stage right.

"Cas, _please_, just tell me what the fuck is going on!" He was shrill and angrier than he meant to be.

"Dean. We are having a fledgling together." Castiel turned back to him, a hopeful look on his face.

With every possible scenario that they could have come up with... this wasn't even in the top 10. The men all exchanged glances of confusion, trying to figure out if they had heard that correctly. It couldn't have possible right? Castiel was a _man_.

Naturally, it was Sam who spoke up first. His nerdy curiosity always won out in the end, after all. "A fledgling?" the youngest Winchester said. "Like... a baby angel?"

"Yes, Sam." The angel nodded with a smile, proud as ever that the hunter was so intelligent.

"Wait, what?" Dean sputtered out. "What are you talking about?"

"We are having a child." Castiel was avoiding looking at him again, afraid to see the rejection on his hunter's face.

"Dude... are you_ pregnant_?" Dean asked, more loudly than he intended. A few patrons at the other tables turned to look at them in surprise, but he waved them off.

"Essentially, yes. Though I will be giving birth to an egg any day now." Castiel's face was red now, embarrassed at all the scrutiny he was under. Amazing how a celestial being who could level the whole town could still be insecure.

More silence followed. Bobby stared at the angel in disbelief. It was amazing that even after all they'd been through, there were still things that managed to surprise even him. "Come again?"

"Angels don't give birth the same way a human woman normally would," Castiel said patiently, twisting up his straw wrapper. "We gestate for 3 months, and then an egg is released from our bodies. The egg grows for approximately 5 months until the fledgling, or fledglings in rare cases, is born." As he spoke, a tear began to slip down his cheek. He hastily wiped it away, but Dean grabbed his arm and stopped him.

Despite the craziness of the situation – and let's face it, it only made sense that if Dean Winchester was going to have a child, it would be by supernatural means – the hunter felt a smile smooth out the hard lines on his face. When he had gotten past his internalized homophobia (Thank you, John Winchester) and self loathing enough to tell Castiel how he felt, he had accepted that there would be no pitter patter of little feet in the future. No dirty diapers or throw up, or being forced to watch _The Little Mermaid _for the 50th time. He had accepted it because he loved his angel, and everything that did or _didn't_ come with that. Now, there was a different future ahead of them, and he found himself surprisingly okay with it.

"I'm really going to be a father?" Dean nearly whispered, his hand still gripping the tan trench coat like it was a life line. In many ways it had been.

"Yes, Dean. Are you..._ okay_ with this? I know it's rather unconventional - " There was that fear on the angel's face again, as if Dean was going to flat out reject him and their child. The fact that Castiel thought Dean could be that much of a dick was hurtful, but he couldn't really blame the guy. It had taken Dean over 8 years to come around and give Castiel a chance.

"Dude, our lives aren't _conventional_ to begin with," Dean laughed, draping his arm across the angel's shoulder. "Yeah, it's a little strange that you're..." He glanced down at the other man's abdomen. "And going to pop out a fucking egg on top of that, but it's my kid, right?"

The angel looked insulted at the insinuation, but Dean pushed ahead before his boyfriend smited him into oblivion.

"So I'm gonna take care of my kid. End of story." The hunter glanced across the table at his brother and father, who were still shocked into silence. "Well, guess you two are gonna be an uncle and a grandpa. Congrats!"

Smiles broke out over their faces and Sam reached across the table to give his brother a high five. "Congrats to you too, man!" he chuckled. "And you too, Cas," he added, with a high five for the angel.

Castiel awkwardly stuck his palm out, while Sam slapped it.

"Leave it to you to knock up an angel of God," Bobby said, shaking his head and picking up his cup of coffee. "But I'm happy for you, son. Truly."

"Thanks, Pops," Dean said with a toothy grin. "Now what do ya say we blow this Popsicle stand and head home?"


	2. Sam Winchester is Important, too

**A/N Thank you for the wonderful reviews and for following my story! I didn't expect to get such great response already! By the way, I am considering doing Sabriel, though I usually pair Sam with an original female character. Thoughts?**

The next few days were tense for everyone at the Bunker. Dean hovered constantly around his angel, both eager and excited about when Castiel would finally lay the egg – and wasn't _that_ just a weird thing to say – and whether it would be a boy or a girl, or _both_ if they were lucky. It had been 3 months after all (the irony didn't escape Dean that he had knocked up the angel the first time they had sex), and for now it was a waiting game.

Castiel had began eating everything in sight, leaving their kitchen bare and the Winchester brothers on endless snack runs. The angel seemed to prefer Twinkies above everything else, and they'd often find Castiel parked in front of the T.V. with a box in each hand. Dean had learned the hard way not to steal a snack cake from the angel – he nearly got his hand ripped off the last time.

Sam couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Dean and Castiel were going to be parents. It was a far cry from the first time they met, when the angel had strolled into the barn on that fateful September day like he owned the place, complete with an epic light show and Dean attempting to murder him. Who knows, maybe that was what attracted them to each other in the first place.

Dean was currently out with Bobby on a supply run, so Sam walked into the entertainment room where he knew he'd find the angel. He had been wanting to get him alone and have a chat for awhile now, but it was hard when his older brother was constantly there in over-protective mode. Sometimes Dean seemed to forget that beneath the trademark trench coat and the awkward blue eyed man was an _angel_, an ancient celestial being who could destroy them all in seconds if he wanted.

"Hey, Cas," Sam said, sitting down next to the angel on the couch.

Castiel had one full box of Twinkies left, and he was clutching it to his chest like a newborn baby. Another empty box and the wrappers were strewn lazily about on the floor. He glanced up from his T.V. Show, _Sherlock_, and smiled at the younger Winchester. "Sam. How are you?"

Sam grinned back and shrugged. "Doing alright, man. Been looking for a case to work, but the monsters seem to be on vacation or something."

Castiel nodded, absently pulling a Twinkie from the box and unwrapping it. "I had noticed that as well. 'Angel Radio', as Dean calls it, has been very quiet lately."

Sam gestured to the angel. "Do you think it's because of... the baby?"

Castiel shrugged, stuffing the cake into his mouth. He chewed for a moment before replying. "I don't know. I would suggest enjoying the break from hunting while you can, Sam. You two never seem to get one."

"But I can't," Sam huffed, leaning back against the couch. "When things suddenly go quiet, it sends off alarms in my head. It makes me feel like they're just out there, plotting and planning and waiting until we get too comfortable, then_ bam_. They catch us off guard and strike."

The angel tilted his head curiously at the other man. "You have come to a point in your life where you just expect bad things to happen."

"Well... yeah. When do good things _ever_ happen to us?" He hated sounded so damn pessimistic.

"I remember when you used to believe in angels," Castiel said thoughtfully, pausing in the middle of eating his second cake.

Sam stared blankly at him. "What are you talking about? I _know_ angels are real. I'm talking to one right now." He chuckled a little at the absurdity of that statement.

"I mean... really _believe_ in angels," Castiel answered, looking back at him. "When you first met me all those years ago, you were in awe at my existence. You looked at me like I was the greatest thing you had ever seen."

Sam nodded, thinking about that memory. Castiel's response to him had been less than friendly.

"_Sam Winchester. The boy with the demon blood. Glad to hear you've… ceased your extracurricular activities._"

"You_ were_ the greatest thing I had ever seen," Sam replied. "Angels were the hope, you know? The hope that everything was going to get better. That despite all the shit Dean and I have been through, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Then they turned out to be..."

"Dicks with wings?" Castiel supplied with a smirk.

Sam laughed. "Well, yeah."

"For what it's worth, you still have a spot in Heaven, you know," the angel said gently. "For both you and your brother."

"Yeah, but angels don't give a damn about us. Well, no one except you."

Castiel shook his head. "There are a few of my brothers and sisters who still care. Gabriel, for instance. Despite his love for pranks and tricks he loves humanity just as I do."

"Yeah, but where is he?" Sam asked, carding a hand through his hair. "None of us has seen him since he faked his death with Lucifer. We could have used his help so many times."

Castiel shrugged in response, shoving the last bit of snack cake into his mouth. "He has been known to do that. He was in hiding for hundreds of years before he trapped you and Dean in T.V. Land and discovered his real identity."

Sam shuddered at the memory. The genital herpes commercial had been embarrassing. "Maybe he's posing as Loki again."

"Perhaps. He will come around when he's ready." Castiel smiled brightly at Sam again. "Big brothers always do."

"For what it's worth," Sam told the angel with a sincere look. "I still believe in you, Cas."

The angel's face reddened a little and he looked away. "Why? I've done terrible things, Sam. Slaughtered innocents, my brothers and sisters - "

"Like Bobby said yesterday, we've all made mistakes. You always try to fix them, though."

Castiel wore a sullen expression now, his palm absently going down to rest on his abdomen. "I don't deserve this," he whispered. "It is rare for an angel to get pregnant with a fledgling. Even more so when it's half human. This has to be my Father's doing somehow."

Sam rested a hand on the angel's shoulder. "You _do _deserve this, Cas, and so does Dean. Don't sell yourself short. You've been watching over us for years and we're still alive. Still kicking ass and saving the world."

"You've also _died_ many times," Castiel said sadly. "You still had to jump in that pit..."

Sam was still haunted by that day. Nearly ever night he dreamed of falling through that portal, with Lucifer fighting and scraping against his insides every step of the way. His brother Adam trapped inside his own body, screaming and begging to get free. Having the Devil riding shotgun inside you was just as fun as it sounded – he was cruel, and vindictive, and when he promised that you were going to suffer, he delivered. Sam hadn't told any of them the lengths Lucifer and Michael had gone through to make sure Sam was traumatized for the rest of eternity. He probably never would.

"I _chose_ to jump into Hell," Sam told him. "Don't put that burden on your shoulders. It was me dying versus millions, and I chose me. I would still make that same choice even now."

Now the angel was looking at _him_ in awe, and not for the first time, Sam wondered how his brother could endure this powerful being staring at him so intensely all the time. It was truly unnerving, like facing down a hurricane. "You would really do that?" Castiel asked. "Even now, even after everything you endured in the cage?"

"Yes, I would."

"You are truly a remarkable man, Sam Winchester, and you do deserve good things in life. Never forget it."

Sam had to pull his eyes away from his friend, instead choosing to look over at the T.V. where Sherlock and John were investigating a crime scene about a woman in pink. He had never felt very remarkable. He had just felt cursed. He was destined to be Lucifer's vessel even before he was born, and for the longest time, that's all anyone saw him as. The boy with the demon blood. Yet now, as the angel silently offered him one of his treasured snack cakes, he felt like someone other than his big brother truly cared about him.

It was an amazing feeling.


	3. Date with My Angel

**A/N So, there's just something I wanted to mention here. While Dean and Cas are together, I don't imagine that they would have very cheesy nicknames for each other. That's just not who they are. Babe, or something simple like that, is what I see Dean calling Cas. And Cas, well, he's not the nickname type. These two idiots love each other and that's what matter**s.

There was a diner in town that Dean had come across during one of his various snack runs for his pregnant blue-eyed angel. As soon as he saw it, he knew he had to bring Castiel there. They hadn't gotten a chance to go on a date in weeks, and probably wouldn't again for some time once the baby was born. The baby... he was going to be a father. He just hoped he wouldn't be a shitty one.

He found Castiel in their room, laying down and reading _Lord of the Rings_. Ever since the angel had become a permanent staple in their everyday lives, Sam had been trying to turn Castiel into a huge nerd. He had apparently succeeded, if the _Doctor Who_ t-shirt he wore was anything to go by – that and his current reading material, of course. Dean was partially to blame, though. He had sat Castiel down years ago and made him watch every single episode of _Star Wars_.

Dean paused in the doorway, admiring Castiel as he turned another page on his book. It was almost surreal to have an _angel_ sitting in his bed, doing something so mundane and _human_ as reading a fantasy novel. There was a part of himself that was still surprised he had admitted his feelings for his best friend. It wasn't so much that Cas was a _guy_, even though that had been a huge factor in the equation. John Winchester hadn't been the most open minded guy in the world. No, it was more that Castiel was this holy being who deserved so much more than a broken hunter with alcoholism and daddy issues. He hadn't even been able to entertain the idea that Castiel might actually love him too, because _that _was an even more inconceivable notion to consider.

"I thought you said it was creepy when people stared," Castiel said, turning to look at him with a smirk on his face.

Dean shrugged, walking into the room and sitting down. "I'm just making up for all the years you did it to me."

"You are aesthetically pleasing to look at," Castiel replied, sitting up and putting his book down. "How can you blame me for appreciating one of my Father's greatest creations?"

Dean blushed, as he often did with the angel would spout off some sonnet nonsense that made him feel like he was in some cheesy rom-com. He scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "Dammit, Cas. I told you - "

"I know, I know," the angel said, putting his hands up in surrender. "But until you believe it, I'm just going to remind you about it so you won't forget."

"Thanks for that," Dean said dryly, playfully punching Castiel on the arm. "Anyway, I got all the stuff you asked for."

"Twinkies?"

"Yes."

"Kit Kats?"

"Yep."

"Ben n' Jerry's Phish Food ice cream?"

"You know I did."

Castiel leaned forward and kissed the hunter on the mouth. "Thank you, Dean."

"Anytime, babe." Dean threw on his most charming smile and patted the angel's knee. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me tonight. Just the two of us." He glanced down at the angel's stomach. "Well, the _three_... of us."

"Did you find a hunt? I don't think I'm going to release the egg for a few more days so I should be strong enough to assist with - "

Dean laughed. "No, you idiot. On a date. We haven't been on one in awhile and I figured we should go while we have a chance."

Castiel nodded. "That's true. And once the fledgling comes we won't have time."

"My thoughts exactly. So...are you up for it?"

"Of course, Dean. I'd be honored."

The restaurant was called _Angel's, _and Dean couldn't help but laugh when his own angel rolled his eyes at him when he saw the outlandish neon blue sign that had huge white wings sprouted off the sides. He pulled the Impala into a parking space and planted a kiss on Castiel.

"I knew you'd enjoy the irony of it," he said with a wink.

Dean earned a bitch face that would have made Sam proud.

They walked into the diner, grabbing a booth at the back. "I don't know how good this place is," Dean told him, opening up his menu and scanning through it. "Never had it before."

"Despite the theme of this establishment, I think it will be fine," Castiel replied.

It was still odd to see the angel actually eating, but Dean was just glad it was because of their child, not because Castiel was turning human. Castiel had barely survived it the last time. Hell, he had died... no, he wasn't going to think about that now.

"How are ya feelin'?" Dean asked, setting down the menu.

The angel shrugged. "I am well, as is the fledgling. You don't need to worry so much, Dean."

Dean frowned. "Of course I do. You're my best friend, you're carrying my damn kid in there."

Castiel's face softened as he looked across the table at his hunter. "I appreciate that. And I'm glad you didn't turn me away when you learned about my... condition."

"Jesus, Cas. Do I seem like that much of a douchebag to you?" Dean questioned with a lift of his brow.

"No, I just..." Castiel sighed and rested his arms on the table. "You're a hunter, Dean. I can't imagine that you would have wanted children. Not after your father raised you into this life."

Dean leaned back in the booth. "I thought Ben was my kid, you know. Still do."

Asking the angel to wipe Lisa and Ben's memories had been one of the hardest things he had to do. It was something that still hurt him deep inside, though he never spoke of it. He could tell by the guilt-ridden look on Castiel's face that he was thinking about it, too.

"I'm sorry, Dean, I - "

"No," Dean interjected with a wave of his hand. "It was _my _decision, not yours. I'd still make the same call if I had to."

Castiel smiled a little. "You and Sam are very much alike."

"Sometimes it's a blessing, more often it's a curse." Dean took a long swig of his water. "Ben doesn't have to be in this life. But _our_ kid? One of it's dads is a hunter and the other is a friggin' angel... there is no escaping this life for them – ever. Am I sad about that? Yeah. I wish things could be different, but they're _not_. I don't regret being with you, or getting you... pregnant. I just regret that they were cursed from the moment they were conceived."

Dean felt exposed sitting there in front of his angel, telling him things that he had never even told Sam. It had always been different with Castiel, though. Something about the awkward seraph made him open up more, and trust in this being that had stuck around them for years instead of ditching them for Heaven. Than in itself was amazing.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I disagree with you."

"Huh?"

"I don't believe our fledgling to be cursed. I think he's blessed."

Dean let out a bark of laughter. "Dude, what show have you been watching? Our lives _suck_."

"There are some children that grow up without the love of their parents or a stable family. This child will have both. He or she will have two parents who love them, an uncle who will protect and adore them, and a grandpa who would use his last breath to save their life. They will be living with us in the bunker, the safest place in the world against the supernatural." Castiel smiled and rubbed his hand on his belly. "I'd say that's a blessing, don't you?"

Castiel was right, of course. Dean had to admit that. "I hate when you make sense," Dean mumbled, picking up his menu again.

"One of us has to," Castiel said casually.

The angel had clearly spent way too much time with the Winchesters.


	4. Brotherly Bonding

**A/N Thank you everyone for the reviews and great response to my story! I'll try to post another couple chapters today to whet your appetite, don't you worry.**

Sam had always been the type of person to talk about feelings, much more so than Dean was. The youngest Winchester was a pro at flashing those puppy dog eyes and getting someone to break down and tell him whatever he wanted to know. Part of him had wondered if he should have been a psychologist instead, in a different reality where they weren't hunters that were constantly in danger. Helping people had always appealed to him, even though that's currently what he was doing... on a much_ grander_ scale of course (He had personally saved the world once, that had to count for something). Still, he knew, with some disappointment, that he would probably never be able to go back to school and pursue an actual career. The Winchesters were so well known in the supernatural world that they would always have targets painted on their backs. Unless God Himself appeared and wiped all the evil monsters they hunted from the planet, their job was indefinite, and would only end when their hearts stopped beating. And wasn't _that_ a dismal thought?

Sam didn't like having such a negative outlook. He had tried to be the optimist of the family, while his brother tended to look at the world from a much darker perspective. They had both been to Hell, and _survived_, when lesser men would crumble and wither away in some insane asylum with green jell-o and a white hug-me jacket. Somewhere along the line he had lost the hope that everything would get better, just as he told Castiel earlier, but now he found himself starting to get it back again.

Dean had never been one for commitment. For years Sam had been forced to sleep in the car or book a second motel room because Dean decided to bring yet another random woman back from the bar. Even when Sam had jumped into that pit and Dean had driven to Lisa's, he knew it wasn't because Dean actually _wanted_ the white picket fence life and the normal construction job. He had only done it because Sam made him promise that he would, nothing more. Normalcy was _Sam's_ dream, not his.

At some point, he began to notice how close Dean and Castiel were. The longing stares, the lack of personal space. The once stoic angel who would have leveled an entire town just to destroy a witch, had kept returning to Dean even when he didn't have to. Even when the Apocalypse was averted, Castiel still willingly sat in the backseat of the Impala and traveled with them to a new hunt, despite the fact the angel could simply fly there and kill the monster within seconds. The angel allowed Dean to command him, even though Castiel had led entire Garrisons to fight Heavenly battles before Sam and Dean were even a thought. Sam couldn't even _conceive_ trying to do that, but Dean Winchester had balls of steel, and had stood toe to toe with the Devil and Michael himself without blinking. He also knew that Castiel would never hurt him. And God help whoever _did_ hurt him, because the awkward man in the trench coat would become the avenging angel of God that had been hidden inside the human vessel, a raging vortex of celestial wrath that Sam was glad he would never have to face.

He and Castiel had become close friends over time, too. Sam never really had anyone besides Dean or Bobby who would go to bat for him, or who was willing to sacrifice themselves to save his life, but the angel was one of them. Saving Dean from Hell had been dangerous, but trying to save Sam from Lucifer's cage was a _suicide_ mission. It was a wonder that he managed to get _any_ part of Sam out at all. Even though Sam had been soulless for a year, he was still grateful to the angel for trying.

"Sammy?"

He was interrupted by this thoughts by a knock on the door and his brother's voice filtering from the hall. "Come in!" Sam called out, swinging his long legs over the side of the bed.

The door opened slowly and Dean stepped inside, looking incredibly nervous. Sam was on high alert now and too up quickly. "What happened?" he asked.

Dean put a hand up. "Calm down, everyone's fine. I just..." He looked sheepishly at his little brother. "I kind of... need advice?"

Sam definitely didn't expect _this_. Dean rarely sought him out to have a heart to heart, much less ask for advice. He sat back down on the bed, motioning for Dean to do the same. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

The older Winchester stiffly sat down next to Sam and ran a hand down the beard that had begun to grow there. They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the ticking of the old grandfather clock down the hall and the low murmurs of Castiel talking to Bobby in the library.

"Dean, are you - "

"M'fine, just give me a second." Beads of sweat had formed on the hunter's forehead, and Sam didn't think he had seen his brother so nervous before.

"Take your time."

"Thanks." Dean looked towards the ceiling for a moment. "This is harder than I expected."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because I feel so lame," Dean said with a laugh.

"Dude, I'm not going to judge you, whatever it is," Sam replied, patting his brother on the shoulder.

"It's not _you_ I'm worried about." Dean gave him a half smile and sighed. "Do you think angels get... married?"

Sam stared blankly at him for a moment. "What?"

"I've just been thinking." Dean wiped his palms on the legs of his worn jeans. "Cas is gonna have my kid and all... maybe we should do this right, ya know?"

"You wanna marry Cas?" Sam wanted to say he was surprised at this revelation, but he wasn't really. Anyone could see how much these two idiots loved each other.

Dean studied Sam's face for a moment, as if searching for any sign of trepidation. When he didn't find anything other than loving support, he continued. "I thought this kid was cursed. That because it's a Winchester he or she was going to be hunted to the ends of the Earth just because of the DNA it shares with us."

"I would never let that happen, and neither would Bobby," Sam said sincerely.

Dean nodded. "Cas told me that our kid is blessed. Can you believe that? _Blessed._ I thought it was bullshit, but he was right. This kid's gonna have a whole family of people who would die for him."

Sam chuckled. "That's true. He's also going to have the best Father in the world."

Dean blushed a little, his green eyes sliding away. "Geez, Sammy. Why do ya gotta say shit like that?"

"Because it's true." Sam shrugged. "_You_ raised me more than John did. He was always on the road and left you to take care of me. All my favorite childhood memories involve you."

Dean huffed a laugh. "Yeah, well, you were pretty easy to raise. Always had your nose stuck in a book."

"Still do." Sam pointed to his latest novel on the nightstand, _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_. "You would like this one, by the way."

Dean glanced at the book and rolled his eyes. "You're turning my angel into a huge nerd, by the way. You know that right?"

"Someone has to show him the finer points of human culture."

"Hey, I do that just fine!"

"Anyway, you were saying something about marriage?" Sam prodded with a grin.

Dean glared for a moment before leaning forward. "Like I said, I wanna do this right. I want the kid to grow up in a stable home - well, as stable as our fucked up lives allow."

"So you... want to make an honest man out of Cas?" Sam questioned, resisting the urge to burst into laughter. He knew if he did, Dean would just run off like a scared deer.

"Well, yeah."

"You do realize he's an _angel_, right? He's already holier than both of us combined."

"Dammit, Sammy! I'm trying to do the right thing here!" Dean groused.

"Do you want to marry him just because of the kid?"

Dean paused for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. "No. I want to marry him because I love him. There's no one else for me, Sam. I went through life thinking I'd never get to have someone by my side or a family. I always thought..." He glanced at his brother with sadness in his eyes. "I always thought you and I would die way too young, with no one but each other."

Sam nodded. "Me, too. But it doesn't have to be that way for you anymore. You get to have a semi-normal life with Cas, and your kid. I'm honestly happy for you."

"You're not gonna leave, right?" Dean asked suddenly. "Even after the baby is born... you're gonna stick around?"

Sam draped an arm across Dean's shoulders. "I'm never going to leave, Dean. Even if I do find someone along the way, the bunker is huge. There's plenty of room for all of us."

"Awesome. Always nice to have an on-call babysitter." Dean grinned at him, trying to deflect his need for reassurance.

"So, when are you going to ask Cas the big question?"

"Dunno." Dean stared off into the distance, a thoughtful look on his face. "I want to make it special, though. Something that he would actually understand, cuz you know Cas is kind of - "

"Socially awkward?"

"Exactly." Dean glanced sideways at his brother. "Kind of adorable, though."

"Dude, seriously?"

"Just you watch, Sammy," Dean said, rising to his feet. "When you knock up some poor girl, I'm gonna give you the same hell you're givin' me."

Sam gave him Bitch Face #12. "At least it will be some _girl_, and not an actual Angel of the Lord."

Dean let out a bark of laughter. "I'll give you that. So, you gonna help me figure out how to propose to my boyfriend or what, bitch?"

"Jerk."


	5. The Love of a Trickster

**A/N We're getting close to the big day! The chapter after this, our dear Angel is going to give birth to his little fledgling egg. Woot! So, I decided I am going to do some Sabriel after all, though it'll be a slow burn. Gabriel and Sam will just be very close friends at first because I think Sam needs that right now. Gabriel is a bit OOC in this chapter, mostly because he is fighting his own inner turmoil. I'm sure you will be able to figure out what that is soon enough.**

Castiel had been alive for thousands of years. At least, he thought it might have been that long. He could hardly remember anymore. Somewhere along the way, time became relative and less important. The need to keep track was replaced by the need to complete missions for his Garrison. Then _that_ mission was replaced with the need to be the Winchester's guardian. He had to admit that the latter one was the most important to him. Being needed by two men who thought themselves to be broken beyond all repair gave him great joy and purpose. He couldn't imagine doing anything else anymore. He loved both of them very much. Even the older hunter, Bobby, held a special place in the angel's heart. Though he would always consider God to be his Father, Bobby had become a close second in that area.

It had been Gabriel who told the angel that he was going to have a fledgling. The Winchesters had been out on a routine vampire hunt, a few days before the incident at the amusement park, and his older brother had appeared next to him while Castiel tended to his bee hive outside the bunker. He found great peace in doing the simple act, caring for these tiny insects that held more value and importance than humanity could fathom or understand. He had named each of them, of course, because each bee had their own personality and voice. Sometimes he wished Sam had the ability to understand them as he did, because Castiel knew that the youngest Winchester would appreciate it. He always had a great thirst for knowledge - it was something Castiel and Sam had in common.

"Heya, Bro."

Castiel started, not hearing his brother appear behind him at first. Esther, one of his favorite bees, flew into the hive at the new visitor. Castiel frowned a little as he watched her go, then turned to regard Gabriel. The archangel was leaning against an old oak tree, a lollipop sticking out of his mouth and a smirk on his face. He had mixed feelings about Gabriel's arrival, and for a moment they just stood in silence, not quite knowing where to begin.

"Gabriel," the younger angel said. "It's been while."

"That is has, little brother." Gabriel walked over to where Castiel stood, his whiskey-colored eyes raking over the carefully maintained bee hive. "Not bad. Dad would be proud of you."

"Bees are amazing creatures," Castiel said with a smile. "I enjoy caring for them."

"They've been taking care of themselves since before _you_ even came along," Gabriel replied with a pointed look.

Castiel sighed, and sat down on the little bench Dean had built for him a few weeks before. Gabriel hesitated, then followed suit, plopping down next to him. "Why are you here, Gabriel?"

The archangel raised a brow in surprise. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"You haven't spoken to any of us since..." Castiel trailed off, not wanting to bring up the horrible night when he thought Lucifer had killed his favorite brother. "I didn't know what had happened to you after that."

Gabriel nodded, looking off into the distance. "I couldn't come back. You know that."

"Even after Lucifer and Michael got trapped in the cage?" Castiel questioned. "You could have come back then."

"_No_." Gabriel was more serious this time than he normally was. Castiel could see he was fighting an inner battle with himself, and he knew exactly what that battle was, too. It was something Gabriel had only confessed one time. "I had to take some time away to sort out my thoughts."

"Because of him?" Castiel asked gently.

His brother shot him a glare that could have set him ablaze with the sheer intensity of it. "Yes, because of _him_! I am an archangel, Cas, I shouldn't be having feelings about some _mortal_." He spat out the last word like it was poison on his tongue.

Castiel placed a hand on his brother's arm. "It's not all bad, you know. Humans love so fiercely and with such passion."

"How can you even say that?" Gabriel demanded, crossing his arms like a petulant child. "One day Dean is going to grow old and die, and then where will you be?_ Alone_, that's where."

"When that happens, I'll fly to Heaven, and spend eternity with Sam and Dean," Castiel answered, matter-of-factly.

At the mention of the younger Winchester, Gabriel looked pained. It took him a moment to speak again. "That's if they will even let you back home," he muttered, chewing angrily on his candy.

"Heaven is a far better place now than it was a few years ago," the younger angel said, fiddling with the belt to his trench coat. "I believe that our brothers and sisters have forgiven me for my... mistakes."

"Have _you_ forgiven you, though?" Gabriel asked suddenly, turning to face him.

"I don't see what - "

"It has _everything_ to do with it," the archangel replied, grabbing his brother's arm. "You _need_ to forgive yourself already. You tried to fix things, and you failed, so what?"

Castiel clenched his fists, guilt and remorse surging through him. "I slaughtered thousands of our brethren, I caused all the angels to fall... I can't just forget about that!"

"Do the Winchesters forgive you?"

Castiel paused, unsure of where Gabriel was going with this line of questioning. "Yes. I don't know why, but they seem to have forgiven my past transgressions."

"And aren't they the most important people in your life?"

"Yes," the younger angel responded, in a small voice. "They mean everything to me."

"Why?"

Castiel thought for a minute before he answered. "Because they have sacrificed themselves for me when they didn't have to, just as I have sacrificed myself for them. Even our own siblings haven't done that for me, Gabriel. When I fell,_ no one_ helped me. No one tried to understand. They just turned their backs like I meant nothing..." Castiel could feel emotion choking him up and he cleared his throat, trying not to let tears fall. Sorrow was still such an alien emotion for him that he didn't quite understand how to deal with it. Being around the Winchesters as much as he had had given him the ability to spot the symptoms now, but he didn't like actually experiencing it one bit. "I love Dean, and Sam is like a brother to me. I don't know what I'd do without them."

Gabriel's golden eyes filled with sympathy and he reached over to the younger angel, gently wiping the tears away from watery blue eyes. "I know, bro. I know. That's why I want you to stop worrying about those flying ass monkeys and enjoy your time with your _real_ family - the Winchesters and Bobby Singer."

Castiel tilted his head in confusion. "What? I don't understand."

"I can feel your pain from a hundred miles away, little brother. All that guilt and regret rolls off you in waves so much it hurts_ me_. No matter how happy being here makes you, it still haunts you because you won't let it go and forgive yourself. It's like you think you deserve to be punished."

"I do," Castiel answered quietly. "I don't deserve to be with Dean, or to stay with this family."

Gabriel chuckled a little. "Yes, you do, Cas. You have the biggest heart out of all the angels. it's no wonder you fell for the Righteous Man... even if he_ is_ a huge douche bag," the archangel added with a smirk.

"Gabriel!"

He put his hands up in surrender, laughing louder now. "Okay, fine. _Maybe_ the oldest Winchester is kind of a pretty cool dude. But don't you dare tell him I said that or I'll turn your lube into super glue."

Castiel looked horrified at the suggestion.

"You know how else I know that you need to forgive yourself?" Gabriel continued, his expression softening once more.

Castiel shook his head, unable to fathom any other reason Gabriel could possibly come up with.

"Because Dear Old Dad has decided to give you a gift. One that hasn't been seen in thousands of years." Gabriel winked at him.

Castiel's mouth dropped open and his hand dropped to his abdomen. "You don't mean - "

"Indeed, I do," Gabriel replied, crossing his leg over his knee and shoving another lollipop into his mouth. "Congratulations, you're gonna have an egg."

The younger angel was speechless at the revelation. He was going to have a fledgling? Only the most beloved of angels was given the honor to bear children. How had he managed to earn that?

"Because I told you... you need to forgive yourself because everyone else that matters has. That little bun in your oven is proof of that."

Castiel pulled the shorter man into a tight hug. "Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you."

"Hey, I didn't do anything. _You_ did. So enjoy it." Gabriel grinned at him. "Though I wouldn't have picked Dean Winchester to mate with."

Castiel ignored his teasing comment, knowing Gabriel didn't really mean it. "What about you?" Castiel asked.

"What about me?"

"When are you going to tell Sam how you feel?"

The smile slipped from Gabriel's face and he glanced away. "Probably never. Sam Winchester has one of the purest souls I've ever met. I'm not worthy of his love. No one is, really."

It was very strange to see his big brother so insecure like that. Here was this powerful archangel who could create entire worlds with a mere thought, and he didn't think he deserved the love of a human. "Maybe one day you will realize that you are," Castiel replied, patting his brother on the back much like the Winchesters did for each other.

Gabriel shrugged, but said nothing.

"Can I at least tell Sam that you came and told me? He has asked about you a few times now. He worries about you."

A flicker of hope flashed across Gabriel's face, then it was gone again. "Nah. Let them think I'm still in hiding. It's better for all of us." The archangel stood, wiping imaginary dust off his black slacks. "Okay, baby bro, I'll see you in a couple hundred years, okay?"

Castiel nodded. "Thank you, Gabriel. I... love you."

Gabriel huffed a laugh. "You have been hanging around those Winchesters for far too long." With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared.


	6. The Littlest Winchester

**A/N: Here we go! Time for Cas to have his little fledgling egg. As I stated before, this is my first time writing an egg!fic so please be gentle with your criticisms! Also, I have changed things in the timeline a bit, to where Bobby met the boys much sooner than he did before. Enjoy!**

Bobby Singer had known the Winchester boys since Sam was barely an infant and Dean was an overly serious, mute 4 year old watching over him with the seasoned discipline of a soldier. John Winchester had dropped them off at Singer Salvage one frosty November morning, with revenge in his eyes and determination set in his jaw. As Bobby watched from the front porch, with a wiggling baby Sam in his arms and a stoic Dean at his side, the Impala had peeled away from the scene with a screech of tires and a cloud of dust, as if John couldn't get away fast enough.

Bobby had never wanted to be a father. After his own horrific experiences with his drunken and abusive old man, the very_ thought_ of bringing his flesh and blood into the world always ran a chill up his spine. He knew any woman who would be dumb enough to have _his_ kid would be cursed forever. Despite how heartbroken he had been to lose Karen all those years ago, he was just grateful she hadn't been that woman. She deserved far better than that.

Over time, Bobby had grown close to the boys who had lost their mother way too early. Whenever John dropped them off, he expected Bobby to continue with their training. Instead, the older hunter chose to let them be kids. He played baseball with Dean, and introduced Sam to _Lord of the Rings_, one of Bobby's guilty pleasures. He taught Dean how to work on cars, and Sam how to translate latin. When their birthdays would come around John would ignore the special day, leaving Sam and Dean looking even more dejected than they usually did. Eventually, Bobby began buying a birthday cake and a present or two around January and May, leaving them waiting by the front door whenever the boys would come around. There was nothing quite like the look of sheer joy on faces that had seen such tragedy - the faces of kids he had grown to love like his own sons.

There were times when Bobby suggested to John that he should just let him adopt Sam and Dean, so that they would be able to have a more permanent, stable home and not be in constant danger. Sure, it wouldn't have been easy, but Bobby would have quit hunting if he had to, if it meant keeping them safe. Sam and Dean deserved a normal life away from monsters and nightmares. John clearly had no interest in raising the boys - his heart was set in revenge, not _fatherhood_. Each time, John had taken a swing at him for the suggestion, and then he stayed away from Bobby's place for months at a time. Eventually he would return, realizing that raising two children was a hindrance to his mission to destroy the yellow eyed demon. Bobby supposed that the only reason John kept them around at all was because they were all he had left of Mary. That was a shitty reason, in Bobby's book.

As the boys had grown up, they made both good and bad decisions. Sometimes he didn't think they'd be able to pull through it, but they always managed to. It killed him inside whenever one of them died, it tore him apart when one of them went to Hell. It made him wish all the more that John had let him take them in as his own, and stayed away from the hunting business forever. Knowing them as he did, though, they would probably have ended up in the life anyway. It never seems to actually let you go, no matter how hard you try to escape.

Somewhere along the line, the awkward angel in the trench coat had been added to that very small list of people he cared about. Castiel was now one of his boys just like Sam and Dean were. Knowing that the angel had gotten pregnant - and that was still a weird thing to say, even for him - had made him a lot happier than he let on. The Winchesters had earned a happy ending many times over, and now with Bobby's first grandkid on the way, maybe they would be able to have that. He hoped Sam would be able to find someone along the way, too, whether it be some nice hunter gal, or another angel.

It was now two weeks since the angel had told them the big news, and everyone was beginning to worry because the egg still hadn't made it's appearance. Dean had been pacing like a wild animal hungry for a kill, and Sam had taken over doing the snack runs because his nerves were too frazzled to do much of anything else. Bobby had tried to focus on doing some translations by himself when Castiel became too temperamental to help him. After Bobby dropped off a bucket of chicken to the ravenous angel in the living room, he walked out to the garage where he had seen Dean head to earlier. He wasn't really surprised to see Dean huddled in a corner, hugging his knees to his chest and looking like a frightened deer.

"Son - you okay?" Bobby said gently.

The younger hunter looked up, fear in his mossy green eyes. Bobby remembered the last time he had seen Dean like that - Sam had run away when he was 8 and Dean had been terrified of what John would do. "Yeah. Sure. Course I am." He didn't sound very convincing.

Bobby walked over and sat down on an overturned bucket, ignoring the creak in his old knees as he moved. "I know you're not one for the touchy-feely, but if ya need an ear..." He patted Dean on the shoulder. "You know where I am."

"I can't do this." The other hunter said it so quietly Bobby almost didn't hear it.

"Come again?"

"Cas... the baby... how am I gonna.. . I'm not cut out for this, Dad. I ruin everything I touch."

Bobby had rarely ever seen the oldest Winchester so afraid, and he resisted the urge to grab the man up in a hug like he used to do. He cleared his throat instead and decided how best to approach the situation. He wasn't really surprised that Dean was freaking out about his impending fatherhood. What surprised him was that it didn't happen sooner. "Why not?" Bobby asked.

Dean huffed a laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Seriously? I'm _poison_, or haven't you noticed that?"

"What I've noticed is you are the strongest man I know next to Sam, and you'd do whatever it takes to keep your kid safe."

Dean got to his feet and started to pace again. "Yeah, that's the problem. He shouldn't _be_ in danger to begin with. He should be able to live a normal, happy life, with other kids. With a dad who isn't 9 kinds of fucked up."

Bobby knew that sometimes he had to be the tough voice of reason in certain cases, because that's the only way Dean - in all his stubborn pigheadedness - would listen. Bobby grabbed his son by the arm, forcing him to stop his endless pacing. "You listen here, Dean Winchester. Your daddy may not have let me formally adopt you, but you two have been _my_ kids since Sam was in diapers. Now, I _know_ I raised you better than this, to do the right thing no matter what. You got your angel pregnant, and he's gonna have your baby anytime now. There's no changing that, no matter how scared ya might be."

Dean's mouth dropped open, but he kept quiet as Bobby continued.

"I was afraid too, back when John dropped you boys off at my place that first time." Bobby chuckled a little, adjusting his trucker cap. "What was I gonna do with two kids? I was a hunter, not a damn babysitter! But guess what... you and Sam needed me so I pushed through my own self loathing and fear of failure to do what needed to be done." He smiled gently at the younger man, who looked like he wanted to cry. Bobby had to admit to himself that he felt much the same way.

"But what if I screw up this kid's life?" Dean whispered, that fear back in his eyes. "What if I fuck up like John did because _I'm_ fucked up?"

"You won't," Bobby said with conviction, "Because there's _nothing_ wrong with you, no matter how much you seem to think so. You're a good man, Dean, one who has literally been to Hell and back for his own brother, who would sacrifice _everything_ he had just to keep those he cares about safe. Sure, you might not like talking about feelings, but who the hell does? Oh, not to mention the little fact that an _actual_ angel of the Lord is in love with you, has rebelled against Heaven itself for you, and is now carrying _your_ kid in his stomach."

"How can you even say that?" Dean asked softly. "I've done terrible things... I tortured in Hell, I became a _demon_..."

"All of us have done terrible things, boy," Bobby answered gruffly. "But the past is the past, and we can't change that. What we _can_ do however, is focus on the future, and you being the best damn father you can be to that kid. God knows he's gonna need it with you and Cas running through his veins. Don't let the fear of failure stop you from letting yourself be happy, ya got me?"

Dean couldn't help but laugh at that. Bobby pulled the man in close for a hug. "Thanks, Dad," Dean said sincerely. "You always know how to put things into perspective."

"Course I do, ya idjit. I'm older and wiser than you, so I'm always right."

Dean started to say something, but he was cut off by Sam's panicked voice shouting from the doorway. "DEAN IT'S TIME! CAS IS ABOUT TO HAVE THE EGG!"

The two men ran towards the open door, following the youngest Winchester down the hallway and into Dean and Castiel's bedroom. The angel was laying on the bed, writhing and crying out in pain. Dean went to his side immediately, grabbing Castiel's hand.

"Hey, Cas, I'm here," Dean said in a soothing voice.

"This is... incredibly painful," the angel replied hoarsely, as if his discomfort wasn't obvious to the rest of them.

"It'll be okay, babe. I'm not going anywhere." He glanced up at his brother and father, who were hovering by the doorway with worried looks on their faces. "Sammy, can ya grab some towels and cold water please? Dad, grab the baby blankets from the nursery."

The other two men moved to complete their assigned tasks, glad to be able to help _somehow_, and Dean glanced back at his angel, whose blue eyes were watery and full of pain. "Dean, I'm sorry," Castiel choked out.

Dean ran a hand through the angel's dark hair. "Hey, why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong, man."

"I know you didn't want this," Castiel said, wincing as another wave of pain shot through him. "Lately you've been short tempered and upset... I thought it was just a matter of time before you told me to leave."

Dean frowned, realizing he _had_ been kind of a huge dick lately. "Shit, I'm sorry, Cas. It wasn't you that I was upset about. It was me. I've been worried that I'm gonna be a terrible father like John was. There's no way i'd ever tell you to leave. I need you too much."

Castiel smiled a little, squeezing the other man's hand. "You are going to be fine, Dean, but don't use John as an example for parenting, use Bobby. He's been a better father to you than John Winchester ever was. That will... steer you in the right direction." He winced again, and Dean felt his heart clench in his chest at the sight. He felt completely hopeless, unable to do anything but whisper soothing words into the angel's ear.

Dean placed a kiss on the angel's forehead. "I love you, Cas. I really do."

"You better," Castiel replied, with a quirk of his lips.

Sam and Bobby entered the room again and Dean took the towels and the bowl of water from his brother. Gently, he patted the washcloth along the angel's sweat covered face, feeling like the biggest asshole in the world for putting his best friend through this. He just had to remind himself that in the end it would be worth it. "Cas, this may not be the best time, and I wanted to do this right..." He paused, glancing at Sam who motioned for him to continue.

"Yes, Dean?"

"It took a long time for me to admit my feelings to you, and for that I'm sorry for being such a dumb ass." Dean swallowed hard, feeling overly exposed in front of his whole family. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Cas. You are my angel, my best friend, and the love of my life. I know I might not be the greatest catch, but for some reason you think I am, and that means more to me than you could ever know. Will you marry me?"

The angel, despite his incredible pain, looked like Dean had just handed him the sun. A clammy hand gripped Dean's arm as he nodded. "Yes, Dean. I would be honored to be wed to you." Another wave of pain cut him off from whatever else he was going to say, but this time, they could tell it was show time.

They had all been unclear about how this whole egg-birthing thing was going to work. The hunters had all worried that Castiel was going to have to actually _lay_ the egg, which just seemed incredibly painful in itself. Apparently, the egg was attached to Castiel's grace, and the pain he was feeling right now was the egg _detaching_ from it, which sounded even less preferable than bringing it into the world through other means.

"Cover your eyes!" Castiel shouted, and the other men followed his orders without question. They wanted to actually be able to see the egg, and eventual fledgling, without having their eyes burned out first.

Behind their eyelids, they could see a bright white light, and hear a loud humming noise. It wasn't nearly as loud as the normal ringing that sounded whenever an angel was trying to use it's true voice, but it was still hard on their eardrums, and they hastily held their hands to their heads. After a few tense moments, the light began to dim, and the hum died down. Hesitantly, they opened their eyes, looking towards the bed where Castiel was laying with a tiny bundle in his arms. He looked slightly better now than he did a few minutes ago, but still seemed exhausted nonetheless. Not that they could blame him.

Dean rushed over, first looking over Castiel to make sure he was alright, then his green eyes slid to the bundle the angel held tightly. Beneath the yellow blanket, he could see two eggs, each about 6 inches across. One of them was a shimmery green color, with flecks of gold and silver. The other was sparking blue, with flecks of green and gold. Dean felt tears slide down his face as he stared down at them, a hand slowly moving forward to touch them.

"Dean, is it okay?" Sam asked worriedly from across the room. "Is Cas alright?"

"Yeah, Sammy," Dean answered. "Everyone's fine. There's... there's two of them!"

"Can I come see?" the younger Winchester said eagerly.

Dean glanced at the angel, who nodded tiredly and held out the bundle. Dean gently took it from him, feeling pure joy as he walked over to the other two members of his family. Bobby and Sam peered into the blankets, each wearing similar grins of pride and happiness on their faces.

"Wow, Dean," Sam breathed out, "They're so beautiful."

"Aren't they?" Dean said, not caring if this had turned into a huge chick flick moment. Even Bobby was wiping the tears from his eyes. "They are the most beautiful things I have ever seen."


	7. Secrets and Sabriel

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. I didn't seem to get a lot of reviews or likes on it, but hopefully I haven't lost you guys. Your kudos are what motivates me to keep writing. Anyway, enjoy a Sabriel chapter!**

It had been a whole week since the eggs were brought into the world. Castiel had slept for most of that time, too weak to do more than say a few words and fall into slumber again. None of them were surprised by that, really, considering just the_ idea_ of two eggs separating from an angel's grace sounded painful. Sam and Dean took turns holding each of the fledglings to keep them warm, and occasionally Bobby did, too. It was heart warming to see the older hunter holding the eggs so tenderly in his arms and looking fondly down at their luminescent shells the way a grandparent would their newborn grandchild. It wasn't that far from the truth. They had informed Charlie about the babies, too, and she insisted that she come down to see them in the next week or two. The adopted Winchester sister was thrilled to have an excuse to start buying _Star Wars_ and _Harry Potter_ onesies.

It was currently Sam's turn to take care of the eggs, while Dean and Castiel took a nap in their room down the hall. He had fashioned a type of nest in an old wicker basket he found, cradling them in a bundle of green and blue and purple blankets. He still found the very idea that there was actually little half human/half angel fledglings growing inside there to be fascinating. Sam had already volunteered to be the one to stay home most of the time with the new babies once they were born, so Dean and Castiel could continue to go on hunts. Sam didn't mind the prospect, really - he had always envisioned that he would eventually just take over Bobby's job one day of running the hunter network. He liked the research aspect of it more than anything.

He felt a sudden presence behind him, and assuming it was Dean, he shook his head and laughed without turning around. "Dean, I told you the babies will be fine. Go back to bed, dude."

Silence.

Confused, he turned around, and immediately grabbed for the gun in his waistband, putting himself between the eggs and the new visitor. He couldn't help the erratic beating of his heart as he laid eyes on someone he hadn't seen in years, someone whose sacrificial death had rendered him so grief-stricken that he hadn't been able to acknowledge it for months.

Gabriel stood there, in all his trickster glory. A red lollipop hung out of his grinning mouth as he tried to peer around the larger man to see the treasures behind him. Whiskey-gold eyes swept up to meet Sam's, and he sighed in resignation when Sam didn't move a single inch to accommodate him.

"Who are you?" Sam demanded, the gun pointed at 'Gabriel'. "How the fuck did you get in here?"

Gabriel put out his hands placatingly, worriedly glancing out the door as if expecting the others to come barreling in at any moment. "Calm down, Samsquatch, it's actually me, okay? I'm Gabriel."

"Gabriel's dead," Sam said fiercely. "How _dare_ you impersonate him!"

The alleged archangel tilted his head, surprise written on his normally cocky face. "You're... upset." He said it as if he couldn't quite believe it.

"Damn right I'm fucking upset," Sam ground out. "Of all the people to look like, you chose _him_? The one person I - " He stopped abruptly, realizing that this is probably what this impostor wanted. To rile Sam up so much that he would make a mistake. No, Sam wasn't going to fall for this trick, not when his nieces/nephews were in potential danger like this. "You're not touching them," Sam said dangerously. "You'll have to go through me first, and pal, that isn't going to be easy."

"I'm not here to hurt them," the shorter man said. "Sam, I swear to you I'm actually him."

"You're _not_ Gabriel. Stop saying you're Gabriel!" Sam cocked his gun and took a step closer. "So, what are you? Shifter? Demon? Or just an asshole?"

Sam wasn't normally this much of a dick. It was something Dean had teased him about over the years - Sam's innate ability to flash the puppy dog eyes and get a witness to pour their heart out. But this wasn't the time for pleasantries, not when his family was being threatened like this. Right now, his brother Castiel was just a few doors away, weak and vulnerable and unable to defend himself. Behind him, were his flesh and blood nieces/nephews sleeping in their very fragile green and blue shells, depending solely on him for their protection. And in front of him stood a monster wearing the face of the only man Sam Winchester had ever loved. He was in no mood for bullshit today. He pulled the trigger.

The sound was loud in the room, a loud _crack_ that echoed off the walls, and when 'Gabriel' looked down in shock at the sudden bullet hole in his chest, Sam grabbed the basket and ran out of the room and down the hall. Dean's door burst open and he barreled through it with his gun aimed in the air. They nearly collided with each other in their haste.

"Sammy, what the hell - "

"Shifter... or something... " Sam breathed out, gesturing behind him. "In my room."

Dean's face hardened into hunter mode and he walked towards Sam's bedroom. "Hey, you son of a bitch!" he yelled. "Get the fuck out of there and face the music."

The archangel walked into the hallway, looking somewhere between amused and agitated. "Dean, will you please tell your little brother that it's really me? I'm not a damn shifter!"

"Why would_ I_ know that?" Dean said indignantly.

The angel tilted his head again, then realization dawned on him. "Ah, yes. That makes sense. Cas wouldn't have told you because you would have just told Sam."

"What are you talking about, asshat?" Dean demanded.

Sam was frozen in the spot, gripping the basket in his hands so tightly he worried he might break it. What was this impostor talking about? Surely it wasn't true?

"Dean." The brothers turned towards the weak voice coming from the doorway. Castiel stood there, wearing a _Doctor Who_ t-shirt and faded jeans. "It's really him."

Sam felt his stomach drop at the revelation. His head swung towards Gabriel so quickly he thought he might get whiplash. A mixture of emotions flowed through him - relief, pain, happiness, anger, confusion. Gabriel had hid from them all this time and let him - _them_ \- believe that he was _dead_? That Lucifer had killed him all those years ago while Sam, Dean and Kali ran to safety? He and Gabriel hadn't been together, hell he hadn't even known how the archangel felt about him, but they were close. Hadn't he deserved some kind of explanation? Even a simple 'I'm Alive' postcard? He was just glad he still had the eggs protectively in his arms, because he might have leaped across the hallway and wrung Gabriel's scrawny neck. Not that it would have done any good, but it would have relieved a lot of tension.

Dean was busy glaring daggers at Castiel. He was far more upset that Castiel had kept secrets from him, again, than the fact that Gabriel was actually alive. His older brother and Gabriel had never got along that well, which Sam found surprising since they had very similar personalities. "You _knew_ this dick was alive?" Dean asked. "And you didn't tell me?"

Castiel nodded, shifting under the hunter's scrutiny. "I'm sorry, Dean. Gabriel asked me to keep this just between us."

"You swore to me you'd never keep secrets again!" Dean yelled, pointing a finger towards the blue eyed angel.

"Dean-o, this is my fault, not his, "Gabriel interjected. "I hid from_ everyone_, not just you. I had to stay away" His eyes slid over to Sam, who was still struggling with the emotions bubbling in his chest. "No matter how much I wanted to come back."

Dean wasn't paying attention to the archangel, though, and didn't see the shared look between Gabriel and Sam. He stomped back into his bedroom, muttering all kinds of obscenities under his breath. Castiel walked over to Sam, gently taking the basket from him and following Dean inside. It was an underhanded tactic, Sam knew, because Dean would hear everything Castiel had to say as long as the angel was holding their kids in his arms. Sam put the gun back in the waistband of his jeans, going back into his own room. He didn't shut the door, though, knowing that he was about to have a conversation that could either fix things, or make them worse. He sat quietly on the bed, clasping his hands together while he waited.

Gabriel appeared tentatively in the door way, like a small child who had just gotten into trouble. It was almost laughable, since this was a powerful archangel who could level the whole place if he wanted. "Can I come in?" he inquired.

"_Now_ you're asking me?"

The archangel grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, pretty stupid huh?"

Sam just shot him bitch face #34 in response.

Gabriel sat down next to him, the red lollipop still sticking out of his mouth. They sat in silence for awhile, listening to the muffled shouts of Dean coming from down the hall. "I shouldn't have asked Cas to keep it a secret."

"Why?"

Gabriel jerked a thumb towards the argument going on a few doors down. "That's one reason. It took those idiots _years_ to finally get together, I just hope I didn't ruin it for them."

Sam shook his head. "Nah. Dean will bitch and argue, but at the end of the day he loves Cas. And their kids."

The archangel smiled fondly. "He had two fledglings. That is almost unheard of."

Despite his anger and hurt at Gabriel, he found his curiosity getting the better of him. "Cas said something about that. Why is it so rare?"

"An angel having a fledgling is very special as it is. Whenever a new angel needs to be born, Dad just picks the most obedient and good angel He can find to bear it. The fact that He chose _Cas_ was kind of surprising, to be honest. The fact that he was gifted with two means he has been absolved of all his crimes against Heaven."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Well, Cas is a good angel, isn't he? Maybe not _obedient_, but..."

Gabriel laughed, sucking on the lollipop for a moment before pulling it out of his mouth with a _pop_. "He's the most rebellious angel, Sammy," Gabriel replied with a smirk. "He fought against our brothers and sisters, fell in love with the Righteous Man, cast all the angels out of Heaven - "

Sam held up a hand. "Correction - _Metatron_ cast all the angels out of Heaven. Cas was just a victim."

Gabriel smiled. "You truly care for him, don't you?"

Sam frowned, unsure of how anyone could doubt that. "Of course I do. He's my brother. Don't you?"

Gabriel looked confused. "Yes. Why would you think otherwise?"

Sam shot him a glare. "Gee I don't know, Gabe. Maybe because ever since you've been gone, Cas has been the one having to deal with all this Heaven crap on his own. He made some pretty bad decisions along the way, and I think if you had been there, then maybe he wouldn't have fallen for other people's tricks so easily."

"You mean Purgatory," Gabriel said thoughtfully. "Working with Crowley..."

"Crowley's not so bad now," Sam replied, thinking about how the King of Hell had somehow become Bobby's best friend over the years. "But back then? He was all about power and how to wield it. Cas was trying so hard to keep Dean out of this life that he made a deal with the Devil to do it."

Gabriel chuckled, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. "Do you really think I'd have any control over what my baby bro does? He's stubborn as hell, just like _your_ brother. No wonder they're perfect together."

"They challenge each other," Sam answered, looking towards the dresser where he had a picture of the three of them on display. "Dean has this alpha male type personality, and he expects his orders to be followed without question. I guess he's kind of like John in that way. Cas will do whatever Dean tells him to, but if he feels Dean is being unreasonable, or stupid, he doesn't hesitate to tell him."

"Yeah, but you never followed John's orders the way you follow Dean's," Gabriel stated.

Sam shrugged. "Because I _respect_ Dean. I never respected John." He never stated this out loud before, and a part of him was angry with himself for falling into the natural routine of talking to Gabriel about anything and everything. He got to his feet and rounded on the archangel. "Enough stalling. Why did you stay away?"

Gabriel's expression dropped and he looked down at his hands. "I had my reasons."

"Not good enough," Sam snapped. "Look, we may not have been..." _Together_, he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come out. "But we were close, Gabe. At least I thought we were. When you died, I _mourned_ for you. Dean was so worried about me I had to tell him what was going on."

The archangel stared up at him in surprise. "Dean knew how close we were?"

"Before I even told him."

Gabriel huffed a laugh. "Your brother may be an idiot, but he's a _perceptive_ idiot."

"I told you I loved you," Sam said softy. "And you didn't even tell me how you felt in return. Then, the next time I saw you... you were facing down Lucifer in that motel with all those Gods who wanted Dean and I to say the big 'Yes'."

"I'm sorry, Sammy," Gabriel replied, actually looking guilty. "I wasn't planning any of that. When I found out you and your brother were being held prisoner, I had to act. When Lucifer 'killed' me, I was devastated." Gabriel's eyes filled with sadness and he looked away. "I always knew what he was capable of, but I never thought he would actually try to end my life."

Sam could understand that sentiment. It wasn't too long ago that Dean was chasing him through the Bunker with a hammer with the intent to bash it into Sam's head. He winced at the memory, thinking about how it haunted him nearly every night.

"That wasn't him, you know?" Gabriel said.

"Stay out of my head," Sam groused, hating the way he felt so exposed to the archangel. Gabriel could always read him like a book, freaky archangel telepathy or not.

"You broadcast very loud. Sorry."

Sam sat down on the bed again, noticing that the bunker had gotten quiet once more. "Guess they finally stopped fighting," he said.

"Dean has a soft spot for family. You know that," Gabriel said with a grin.

"So... are you going to stay this time... or was this just a one-time thing?" Sam didn't want to ask the million dollar question just yet so he would take what he could get.

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. "I would like to stay here with you guys, if that's okay. I'm sure you could use help around the Bunker or on hunts, especially once the fledglings are hatched."

Sam nodded. "We have plenty of rooms here, so that won't be a problem. We definitely could use your help, especially since Cas isn't up to full power right now."

"Sam?" Gabriel asked. "Do you... still..."

The hunter knew what the archangel was asking. The answer was yes, of course he still loved Gabriel, but he couldn't put himself out there again so quickly. "We need to take this slow," Sam answered. "You've been gone for years and you didn't tell any of us."

"You don't trust me anymore."

Sam felt a little guilty that it was true. "I need to be sure you're not just going to bail again. On Cas... on me. I hope you understand."

"Yeah, I do. I promise you that I'll give you a reason to trust me again." Gabriel replied. "Please just give me the chance to."

He looked so sincere that Sam had to relent. "Fine. But try not to piss off Dean while you're here, okay?"

Gabriel's downtrodden looked turned mischievous and he winked. "Now where would be the fun in that, Sammy?"


End file.
